2024 Before Anyone Else
100% Clairette Blanche. As always, this is a beautifully balanced white wine, brimming with texture, clarity, and energy. Clairette is one of the seven Rhône varieties we planted on the Maha in 2012 and 2013, and like every vine on the property, it's head trained, picked by hand, and naturally fermented, letting our limestone slopes do the talking. This vintage is a kaleidoscope of energizing scents such as lemon rind, pineapple cake, and white gummy bears. The palate is equally exciting, with notes of shiso leaf, tepache, fresh pear, and sugar cane that careen off the tongue. Pour it alongside a citrusy crudo, a spread of spicy Thai takeout, or simply a sunny afternoon on the porch. This wine has been a favorite of ours for a long time, and this may be one of the best vintages yet. It's always the first to sell out, so we suggest loading up before your friends do ;)
“Stone fruits, pineapple, hints of tropical flowers, and chalky minerality all emerge from the 2024 Before Anyone Else, a brilliant 100% Clairette Blanche aged 20 months in 60% new French and Hungarian oak barriques. It's medium-bodied, pure, focused, and balanced on the palate, with terrific acidity and length. It's a stunning example of this variety that should have well over a decade of longevity, although I love it even today. Drink 2026-2038.”
94-96+ pts, Jeb Dunnuck
“Striking, fresh and inviting, offering almond blossom, phlox and Eureka lemon accents, with a juicy core of nectarine and Anjou pear that builds creamy richness. Crème fraîche and honey tones fill out the well-spiced finish. Drink now through 2030.”
93 pts, The Wine Spectator
“The 2024 Before Anyone Else, tasted from barrel, is sweetly spiced, blending crushed nectarines with white flowers, a whiff of sweet basil and lime zest. This is round, soothingly soft, with ripe orchard fruits, nuances of almond and silken textures. The 2024 leaves a tactile mineral tinge; it is crunchy and long, with hints of green melon that fade slowly. This takes Clairette Blanche from Paso Robles to a whole other level.”
93-94 pts, Vinous Media